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Amaziah Is Strong in Battle

Moreover, Amaziah assembled Judah and appointed them according to their fathers’ households under commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds throughout Judah and Benjamin; and he [a]took a census of those (A)from twenty years old and upward and found them to be (B)300,000 choice men, able to go out for military duty, able to handle spear and large shield. And he hired also 100,000 mighty men of valor out of Israel for one hundred [b]talents of silver. But (C)a man of God came to him saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for Yahweh is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim. But if you do go, do it, be strong for the battle; yet God will cause you to stumble before the enemy, (D)for God has power to help and to cause to stumble.” Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “(E)Yahweh has much more to give you than this.” 10 Then Amaziah [c]dismissed them, the troops which came to him from Ephraim, to go [d]home; so their anger burned against Judah and they returned [e]home in burning anger.

11 Now Amaziah strengthened himself and led his people forth, and went to (F)the Valley of Salt and struck down 10,000 of the sons of Seir. 12 The sons of Judah also captured 10,000 alive and brought them to the top of the cliff and threw them down from the top of the cliff, so that they were all split open. 13 But the [f]troops whom Amaziah sent back from going with him to battle, raided the cities of Judah, from Samaria to Beth-horon, and struck down 3,000 of them and plundered much plunder.

Amaziah Worships the Edomites’ Gods

14 Now it happened that after Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, (G)he brought the gods of the sons of Seir, set them up as his gods, worshiped them, and burned incense to them. 15 Then the anger of Yahweh burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people (H)who have not delivered their own people from your hand?” 16 Now it happened that as he was talking with him, [g]the king said to him, “Have we given you to be a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be struck down?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has counseled to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:5 Lit mustered
  2. 2 Chronicles 25:6 A talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
  3. 2 Chronicles 25:10 Lit separated
  4. 2 Chronicles 25:10 Lit to their own place
  5. 2 Chronicles 25:10 Lit to their own place
  6. 2 Chronicles 25:13 Lit sons of the troops
  7. 2 Chronicles 25:16 Lit he

Slaughter of the Edomites

Then Amazi′ah assembled the men of Judah, and set them by fathers’ houses under commanders of thousands and of hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upward, and found that they were three hundred thousand picked men, fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. He hired also a hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for a hundred talents of silver. But a man of God came to him and said, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel, with all these E′phraimites. But if you suppose that in this way you will be strong for war,[a] God will cast you down before the enemy; for God has power to help or to cast down.” And Amazi′ah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel?” The man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” 10 Then Amazi′ah discharged the army that had come to him from E′phraim, to go home again. And they became very angry with Judah, and returned home in fierce anger. 11 But Amazi′ah took courage, and led out his people, and went to the Valley of Salt and smote ten thousand men of Se′ir. 12 The men of Judah captured another ten thousand alive, and took them to the top of a rock and threw them down from the top of the rock; and they were all dashed to pieces. 13 But the men of the army whom Amazi′ah sent back, not letting them go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samar′ia to Beth-hor′on, and killed three thousand people in them, and took much spoil.

14 After Amazi′ah came from the slaughter of the E′domites, he brought the gods of the men of Se′ir, and set them up as his gods, and worshiped them, making offerings to them. 15 Therefore the Lord was angry with Amazi′ah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, “Why have you resorted to the gods of a people, which did not deliver their own people from your hand?” 16 But as he was speaking the king said to him, “Have we made you a royal counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?” So the prophet stopped, but said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my counsel.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 25:8 Gk: Heb But if you go, act, be strong for the battle